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A review by abooknomad
Jade Legacy by Fonda Lee
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The perfect case of “did I finish this book or did it finish me?”
Jade Legacy was a finale of epic proportions following the Kaul family and the No Peak Clan for an additional 20 years and establishing the series as much as a family saga as a unique epic fantasy tale. Drastic time jumps might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I felt incredibly grateful I got to spend so much time with these characters. By the end, I felt like I had matured along with them.
This final instalment was darker than its predecessors. The characters were more flawed than ever, but my god, did I fall even more in love with every single one of them. Fonda Lee put me through it, scrubbed me raw, and wrung me out, but I was also pleasantly surprised by how many soft family moments punctuated the otherwise tense narrative.
The balance between character development and plot progression was immaculate. Fonda Lee is a master storyteller and knows exactly how to keep the reader engaged, adding interpersonal drama to break the heaviness of political scheming at just the right moment, leading readers to the throes of anxiety with plot-twists before steadily bringing them down from the high, only to strike again a hundred pages later.
The scope of the worldbuilding spanning this trilogy is the stuff of dreams. The magic system, culture, and traditions that permeate Kekonese society are so rich that you can't help but be a clan loyalist. The organisation of the world is so well thought-out that Kekon, Espenia, Shotar, and Ygutan could've been subject studies on my political science and sociology classes. The social commentary in Jade Legacy also takes on a deeper meaning: the possibility of growth, rehabilitation, and progress.
And that's what this series does so well: there's something for everyone (even romance). The Library Journal described the series as a future "pillar of epic fantasy" and I have no doubt it’ll become a fantasy classic.
𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐠𝐚 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞:
- urban fantasy
- character-driven stories
- flawed, nuanced, and morally grey characters
- political intrigue
- sweeping worldbuilding
- family dynamics
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬:
- Jade City: ★★★★.5
- Jade War: ★★★★★
- Jade Legacy: ★★★★★
Jade Legacy was a finale of epic proportions following the Kaul family and the No Peak Clan for an additional 20 years and establishing the series as much as a family saga as a unique epic fantasy tale. Drastic time jumps might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I felt incredibly grateful I got to spend so much time with these characters. By the end, I felt like I had matured along with them.
This final instalment was darker than its predecessors. The characters were more flawed than ever, but my god, did I fall even more in love with every single one of them. Fonda Lee put me through it, scrubbed me raw, and wrung me out, but I was also pleasantly surprised by how many soft family moments punctuated the otherwise tense narrative.
The balance between character development and plot progression was immaculate. Fonda Lee is a master storyteller and knows exactly how to keep the reader engaged, adding interpersonal drama to break the heaviness of political scheming at just the right moment, leading readers to the throes of anxiety with plot-twists before steadily bringing them down from the high, only to strike again a hundred pages later.
The scope of the worldbuilding spanning this trilogy is the stuff of dreams. The magic system, culture, and traditions that permeate Kekonese society are so rich that you can't help but be a clan loyalist. The organisation of the world is so well thought-out that Kekon, Espenia, Shotar, and Ygutan could've been subject studies on my political science and sociology classes. The social commentary in Jade Legacy also takes on a deeper meaning: the possibility of growth, rehabilitation, and progress.
And that's what this series does so well: there's something for everyone (even romance). The Library Journal described the series as a future "pillar of epic fantasy" and I have no doubt it’ll become a fantasy classic.
𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐠𝐚 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞:
- urban fantasy
- character-driven stories
- flawed, nuanced, and morally grey characters
- political intrigue
- sweeping worldbuilding
- family dynamics
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬:
- Jade City: ★★★★.5
- Jade War: ★★★★★
- Jade Legacy: ★★★★★